RUI: Studying the Strong Nuclear Force at Augustana College

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This award makes possible the creation of a new scientic program and laboratory at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, devoted to the study of the strong nuclear force, the force responsible for the binding of protons and neutrons in a nucleus. The central question that will be studied in this award is an understanding of the kinematics of low-energy gluons, the particles that mediate the strong force, in the nucleus. This will be studied with the construction of a new detector component to be added to the PHENIX experiment that will measure small angle production of neutral pions and direct photons in p+A collisions. The rate of production is directly related to the kinematics of the gluon in the nucleus A. In parallel, the group will be performing data analysis to become familiar with the existing detector and learn how to best combine the current detector and the new extension.This program in strong nuclear physics will be the first of its kind in South Dakota. It provides those in the state and the region access to studying this physics where they have little opportunity. The award will fund research for undergraduates studying both physics and pre-engineering. The educational benefit for the students is broad. Both data analysis and detector development will be conducted, skills which are of general use to any physics or engineering field. Their research experience will teach or reinforce skills learned in computer science, mathematics, and in physics. For beginning undergraduates, research in this area will introduce them early to more advanced concepts giving them additional exposure aiding the learning process. Those interested in engineering will benefit from the detector testing and development that will be done on site. Further, since science is not done alone, students will travel to other institutions and to Brookhaven National Laboratory to help install and maintain the detector. This will provide them with opportunities to meet scientists from around the world and put them in contact with potential graduate schools.